Meanwhile, Ross had settled into the running of his father’s farm, he and Tim splitting the profit they would now realise by the end of the year.
Despite being eager for a sale, Nina was grateful for the extra time she’d been able to stay in Mistake Creek, as it had enabled her to spend time with the two Flanagans and reignite the friendship she’d had with them ten years ago.
They were easy to get on with, and she’d spent many evenings in the farm kitchen listening avidly to Ross’s plans. He was even contemplating taking over Hudson’s abandoned land once the Federal authorities were finished with their investigation.
She looked over her shoulder at the sound of a lone motorbike travelling along the road towards her and then frowned as it drew closer, her heartbeat clawing at her chest.
Surely not.
Hadn’t Sean been killed by Ross?
What was he doing back here?
The motorbike slowed, indicated, and then executed a sweeping turn, stopping under the shade of the canopy.
The rider pulled off his helmet, his hair spiky and a broad grin plastered across his face.
‘Kyle!’
Nina dropped the pack of soft drinks onto the step and hurried over to him.
He laughed as he swung a leg over the bike and enveloped her in his arms. ‘Look at you! My God – how busy are you?’
Nina pulled away and looked over her shoulder at the fresh timber window frames and bright signage that adorned the building.
‘Luckily, I’ve had some help.’
‘It’s looking good,’ Kyle said. He pushed his sunglasses onto his head as his gaze dropped to meet hers. ‘So are you.’
‘What are you doing back here?’ asked Nina.
He cleared his throat and avoided her eye. ‘I’m on extended leave.’
‘Oh. Is that a good thing? I thought you lived for your job?’
‘Yeah, well,’ he said, and scratched at his ear lobe. ‘Let’s just say they suggested I take a break after finding out I don’t cope well being cooped up in an office.’ He sighed. ‘The operation’s being scrutinised, Nina. Even though we stopped Hudson, my partner was killed.’
‘I’m sorry, Kyle. You’re good at what you do.’ She reached out and put her hand on his arm. ‘You’ll be reinstated, though, right?’ She frowned as his eyes met hers. ‘Or is it more serious?’
The familiar quirk at the side of his mouth twitched. ‘You could say that.’
‘Won’t your bosses want you back?’
‘We’re not exactly on speaking terms at the moment.’
‘Oh.’ Nina blushed. She glanced at the motorbike. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I thought I’d see where the road takes me. Then I changed my route and cut through here. I figured I’d see how you were getting on before I head east.’
‘Well, I’d better sort you out with some gas; otherwise you won’t be going far.’
She moved towards the bowser, waited while Kyle opened the cap of the fuel tank, and then began to fill it.
He peered over her shoulder. ‘Looks like the business is doing well.’
‘It is doing well.’ She turned and ran her gaze over the neatly landscaped garden beds leading back to the refurbished accommodation block.
‘What happened? I thought you weren’t going to stay here?’
Nina shrugged. ‘I’m not, but after everything broke on the news about the terrorist threat and how the FBI had managed to stop the truck, the media were here for weeks,’ she said. ‘Mistake Creek finally made it back onto the map. After the television crews and everybody else paid to stay here while they covered the story, I had enough money to renovate.’ She turned back to Kyle. ‘Once they’d gone, the tourists started coming back. It’s been amazing. The truck stop goes on the market next week, and hopefully we’ll make enough to give Dad a comfortable retirement.’
‘And Ross?’
‘Taking his time getting well,’ she said. ‘He had to have weeks of physiotherapy.’ She sighed. ‘It wasn’t easy, but it was while he was recovering and I was staying at his family’s house helping him that we realised we’d never be more than friends.’
She saw a frown crease his brow, then lift as she spoke.
‘It’s nice, though,’ she added. ‘It’s been great seeing what he and Tim have got planned for the farm.’ She looked down as the bowser stopped. ‘All done. You’ll be able to clear a few more hundred miles now.’
‘Great, thanks.’ He reached into his pocket.
‘I’m not taking your money, Kyle,’ said Nina. She ran her gaze over the motorbike. ‘So, how did you end up with this?’
Kyle shrugged. ‘Every now and again, the police auction off goods seized from criminals – the money goes towards funding local youth clubs and the like.’ He patted the seat. ‘I thought I could give it a good home.’
‘Wait,’ said Nina. ‘I’ll get some food for you to take with you.’
After Nina had dashed into the truck stop, she took a second to gather her thoughts, her mind racing as she packed a bag with food and soft drinks.
He said he’d ridden out to see how she was doing. And that it was unlikely he had a job any more. And he was heading east.
She swallowed. What if she never saw him again?
She sealed the bag, and rushed back through the building, but when she returned to the forecourt, Kyle was sitting on the bike, ready to go.
She handed over the supplies and watched him stuff them into his sports bag fastened to the seat behind him.
‘At least you won’t starve for a few days,’ she said, trying to remain calm, to sound cheerful.
Kyle winked. ‘Thanks. I appreciate it.’ He surprised her by pulling her into a hug. ‘You’re a tough one, Nina O’Brien,’ he murmured, his voice raw. ‘I couldn’t stop thinking about you.’
He kissed her cheek, his stubble lightly scratching against her skin, a faint trace of his cologne clinging to her as he let her go.
Nina stepped back as he started the motorbike, the engine roaring to life. She shivered, the memories of that stormy night briefly returning before she blinked back the tears that suddenly filled her eyes and swallowed to clear the pain in her throat before speaking.
‘Why don’t you stay here?’
He frowned, unable to hear her over the engine. ‘What?’
She tried again, her voice louder, unable to prevent the tremor that accompanied her words.
‘Stay here.’
‘Here?’
‘I could use some help.’ She saw his Adam’s apple bob in his throat and realised he was as nervous as she felt.
She couldn’t let him disappear from sight again. The thought of Kyle Roberts riding that damned motorbike off into the distance forever was too painful.
She pointed at the new timber, then the walls of the building. ‘I could use a hand with the painting, and it gets really busy here at weekends with tourists driving through the Valley…’ she said, and then fell silent, scared that she’d sounded too desperate, too eager to make him stay.
She realised he was watching her intently, and then he reached out and killed the motorbike engine, its rumble falling silent.
He kicked the stand to the ground, then climbed from the bike, pulled off his gloves and tossed them onto the saddle.
She trembled as he stalked towards her, but she held her chin up and tried not to cross her arms over her chest. She’d forgotten how imposing he could be.
As he drew closer, she wondered if she’d read him wrong, whether she’d been mistaken about the spark that she’d felt between them. Her heart thumped painfully, and she ignored the sudden tightness in her chest.
And then he was standing in front of her, his blue eyes piercing.
‘I thought you’d never ask,’ he murmured, and pulled her into his embrace.
‘You scared me,’ she mumbled into his chest, inhaling his aroma. ‘I thought you were going to leave forever.’
He pulled back, his hand
s on her arms as he stared at her. ‘I couldn’t,’ he said, and then sighed. ‘I’m tired, Nina. I’m tired of living like I have been. I’m tired of spending most of my days scared that I’m turning into someone I hate. I’m tired of always being on the wrong side of right.’
‘What do you want?’ Nina whispered.
‘I want to be with you,’ he said, his mouth so close to her she could feel his breath on her cheek. ‘Apart from that, I don’t care where I am in the world.’
He kissed her and then rested his chin against her head as he peered up at the truck stop. ‘So, are you going to give me the guided tour?’
‘Okay.’ She waited while he bent down and picked up the carton of soft drinks she’d dropped to the ground. ‘What do you want to see first?’
He chuckled, and Nina felt her legs weaken. ‘You’d better show me where you keep the paintbrushes.’
He winked and led the way across the forecourt towards the front door, holding it open for her.
Nina laughed and led him into the truck stop, then turned the sign on the door to ‘Closed.’
THE END
From the Author
Thanks for purchasing and reading this box set – I hope you enjoyed Before Nightfall and Mistake Creek. A lot of people don’t realise that the best way to help an author is to write a review – if you did enjoy this story, please return to the site you downloaded it from and leave a few words. Even a couple of sentences helps!
I love hearing from readers and other authors alike, so if you’d like to stay in touch and be the first to find out about forthcoming novels, why not drop by and visit me at www.rachelamphlett.com.
Thank you – and I look forward to hearing from you!
Now read on to find out about my other novels…
A conspiracy to destroy alternative energy research… a global organisation killing to protect its interests… and a bomb that will change the face of terrorism forever…
Would you know who to trust?
When Sarah Edgewater’s ex-husband is murdered by a radical organisation hell-bent on protecting their assets, she turns to Dan Taylor – geologist, ex-soldier, and lost cause.
Together, they must unravel the research notes that Sarah’s ex-husband left behind to locate an explosive device which is circumnavigating the globe towards London – and time is running out.
In a fast-paced ecological thriller which spans the globe, from London to Brisbane and back via the Arctic Circle, Dan and Sarah aren’t just chasing the truth – they’re chasing a bomb which, if detonated, will change the future of alternative energy research and the centre of England’s capital forever.
Buy now: http://www.rachelamphlett.com/the-books.html
Paperback: 978-0-646-57340-3
eBook: 978-0-646-55814-1
An explosion rocks a Qatari natural gas facility… a luxury cruise liner capsizes in the Mediterranean… and someone has stolen a submarine…
Are the events connected?
Dan Taylor doesn’t believe in coincidences – all he has to do is convince his superiors they are next in the terrorists’ line of fire.
As Britain enters its worst winter on record, Dan must elude capture to ensure the country’s energy resources are protected. At all costs.
In an action-packed adventure, from the Middle East through the Mediterranean to London, Dan and his team are on a quest which will test every choice he makes. Assisted by the exotic Antonia Almasi, Dan realises he faces an adversary far greater than he ever imagined, and not everyone is going to survive.
Buy now: http://www.rachelamphlett.com/the-books.html
Paperback: 978-0-992-26850-3
eBook: 978-0-992-26851-0
Dan Taylor has survived two attempts on his life. The rest of his team are missing, and now a terrorist group has stolen a radioactive isotope from a top secret government project.
Can Dan survive long enough to prevent a nuclear disaster on British soil?
With the Prime Minister determined to re-negotiate the country’s place in the European Union, and deals being struck behind closed doors, Dan stumbles across a plot that will shake the country to its core.
If his mission fails, his enemies will overthrow the British government, and Dan will be a wanted man.
If he wants to succeed, he’ll have to sacrifice everything.
ISBN eBook: 978-0-9922685-8-9
ISBN paperback: 978-0-9922685-9-6
How far would you go to protect a secret?
How far would you go to expose a lie?
Will Fletcher seems to have it all – perfect job, perfect life. Then in one act of extreme violence, his world is turned upside down.
A bungled assassination attempt on a London street uncovers a disturbing conspiracy fuelled by organised crime and political ambition. Now, Will finds himself on the run, pursued by a dangerous enemy who will stop at nothing to protect his employer’s past.
The only way to stop the chain of events is to follow a trail of clues that lead to the heart of British politics.
With the date for the UK General Election only days away and the killers closing in, Will is running out of time to deliver his own version of vigilante justice and expose the corruption. As the web of lies and deceit unravels, Will knows the answer’s out there.
All he has to do is look closer.
Everyone has secrets. Everyone lies.
Buy now: http://www.rachelamphlett.com/the-books.html
Paperback: 978-0-9922685-4-1
eBook 978-0-9922685-5-8
Two FBI thrillers: Before Nightfall and Mistake Creek Page 42